Air-brush.



0, C. WoLD.

AIR BRUSH.

APPL|cAT|oN FILED JULY 6.1.2111.

Patented July 16, 1918.

OLAUS C. WOLD, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS'.

AIR-BRUSH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1918.

Application filed July 6, 1917. Serial No. 178,901.

To all 'whom 'it may concern.'

ABe it known that I, OLAUs C. VVoLD, a

citizen of the United States, residing atA Chicago, in 'the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air- Brushes, of which the following is aspeciication.

The present invention has to dol with certain improvements in air brushes. The features of the present invention are very well adapted for use in connection with air brushes of small size, such as are used by artists and draftsmen in connection with the preparation of drawings and the tinting or touching up of photographs or the like.

In order` to properly cont-rol an air brush, means must be provided for controlling the flow of both the air and pigment. This ordinarily necessitates the use of two separate and distinct valves. In the past there have been devised vario-us arrangements whereby both of these valves may be controlled by the movements of a single finger, but ordinarily such control has necessitated one tinger movement forl one of the valves and another finger movement for the other valve. For example, in one form of air brush with which I am familiar, one of the valves is controlled by an up and down movement of the linger, whereas the control of the other valve is effected by a back and forth movement of said finger. The necessity of using two separate finger movements for these valves is objectionable. because it makes the operation of the air brush just that much more complicated. When the draftsman or artist is using the air brush he should be freed from any unnecessary thought as to the mechanical operation of the device, and should be at liberty to concentrate his entire attention on the artistic appearance of the work in hand. l

The main object of the present invention is to so construct. the valves and actuating devices that both of the valves can be con trolled by a single movement of a single tinger, while at the same time preserving the independence of actuation of the valves which is desirable in order to correctly control both the air and pigment.

In this connection another object. is to so arrange the various parts that the control of the valves can be effected by the forefinger of the hand and with a movement which will be perfectly natural and normal. By thus arranging the parts, the brush can be held in the hand in the same manner as the operator would hold a pen or pencil, and the movements of both of the valves can be independently controlled by a perfectly natural up and down movement of the forel-finger.l

Other objects and uses of the invention will appear from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of an air brush embodying the features of the present invention and shows the manner in which the same is intended to be grasped by the hand of the operator;

Fig. 2 shows on considerably enlarged Vscale a longitudinal vertical section through the complete air brush; and

Fig. 3 shows a fragmentary plan view of the front port-ion of the air brush on a scale substantially the same as that of Fig. 1.

The body portion of the air brush comprises a cylindrical or tubular member 5 having a depending lug or the like 6. A cylindrical handle 7 of ebony or the like is provided, a threaded nipple or sleeve S serving to connect said handle to the end portion of the body member 5. This body member is hollow and accommodates the major portion of the operating mechanisms or devices. Frequently also the handle 7 will have its inner end hollowed out` as shown in Fig. 2, so as to accommodate a portion of the operating devices.

The front end of the body portion receives a cone-shaped sleeve 9 which threads into it, and a nipple or the like 10 threads into the cone-shaped sleeve 9. A neck 11 extends upwardly from the body portion, the said neck carrying at its extreme end a tapered tip 12. The. neck and tip are provided with a central longitudinal bore through which the pigment is discharged. A. pin or rod 13 extends throughout the length of this bore. and is of smaller size than the bore, so that the pigment can travel through the annular space. thus provided. The end portion 14 of the pin is very finely pointed and seats nicely in the tip l2. so

that when the pin is thrown in the forward portion shown in Fig. 2, it closes the orifice and prevents the further delivery of pigment. By withdrawing lthe pin a greater or `less amount the flow of pigment can be readily controlled.

The annular space previously mentioned communicates nearl its rear vend with a sidewise extending -passage 15 into which is connected the pigment well or holder 16 by way of a neck 17 in the usual manner.

The cone-shaped sleeve 9 and the front portion of the cylindrical member 5 are so formed as to leave an annular passageway 18 between them. Furthermore, the nipple 10 is of such size and formation as to provide a passage for the delivery of air from the passage 18 to an annular passage 19 around the tip 12. The nipple 10 has a per'- foration in 'it-s' end portion to provide an annular passage 20, through which the air is discharged around the front end'portion of the tip 12 so as to induce the delivery' of pigment.

The lug 6 carries the air valve mechanism. The same is conveniently mounted Within a collar 21 threaded into the lower end of' the lug. .Said collar has a longitudinal bore 22 communicating with a bore 23 in the body member 5 through which the air is delivered to the annular space 18. A valve pin 24 works Within the bore 22, carrying the valve member 25 at its lower end. A sprlng 26 normally seats within said valver member and raises the pin 24'. The lower end 27 of the lug 6 isthreaded for the accommodation of the hose through which the compressed air or other gas is delivered.

Certain of the mechanisms thus far described are well known and. understood in the art. On the upper end of the pin 24 is mounted a bifurcated or slotted member 28 through which passes the pin 13. A slot or recess 29 is formed inthe upper portion of the body member 5 for the accommodation of a bifurcated lever` 30 whichv is pivoted by means of a pin 31 to thevlugs 32 and 33 on lthe body member 5. A lever 34 works within the slot or bifurcation of the lever 30 and is also pivoted or hinged on the pin 31. A

finger piece 35 is mounted on the lever 34 at a point where it can beconveniently reached by the fore-finger of the operators hand as is clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The lever 34 rests on the upper end of the pin 24 or the bifurcated member'28, so that the spring 26 by raising the pin 24 will also raise the lever 34 into the position shown in Fig. 2. A further raising of the lever 34 is prevented by engagement of its upper rear corner 36 against the cross piece of the bifurcated member 30.

Threaded into the rear portion of the member 5 is a collar 37 having a flange or sleeve 38. This collar 37, by reason of its threaded engagement with the member 5,

constitutes a fixed abutment against which is pressed one end of a spiral spring 39. The other end of vsaid springpresses againsta flange 40 on the 'sleeve 41, which sleeve is loosely mounted on the pin 13, but may be clamped to said pin, so that the sleeve 41,

flange 40, and pin 13 will thereby be caused Said clamp is acto travel together.

complished by splitting'the end portion 42 closed in a definlte relationship with re spect to the position of the flange 40.

Extending upward from the flange 40 is a pair of Wings 44 (only one being shown in Fig. 42, the other being cut away), between which wings lie the fingers 45 extendingl doWn from-the bifurcations ofthe lever 30, e

(only one of said fingers 45 'being shown in'.

Fig. 2), so that the fingers 45 press against the ange 40 and force the same back when the bifurcated lever 30 is depressed, to rthereby withdraw the pin 13 from the tip 12 and permit the discharge of pigment. v

On the rear end of the bifurcatedlever 30 1s a finger 46 into which is'threaded a milled wheel 47, the lower portion of which carries a stud which rests against the upper face of the member 5. By turning this milled wheel, the forward end of the lever 30 may j be forced down so as to force back the flange 4() a greater or less extent, and thereby position the pin 13 in its forward position. By this arrangement an additional adjustment can be secured from time to time by the operator without having to resort to the expedient of removing the ebony handle 7 and loosening up the taper or wedge-shaped sleeve 43.

The operation of the device will now be readily understood. When the finger depresses the finger piece 35, the valve, 25 is forced down against the action of the spring 26. The finger piece 35 is so formed that it presently engages with the bifurcated lever 30 after which timethe lever 30 travels with the finger-piece, and causes the pin 13 to withdraw from the tip 12 so as to permit the discharge of pigment. Thus the air is first delivered and afterward the pigment delivery is allowed to commence, and the amount of opening of the needle valve 13 can be adjusted from time to time simply by depressing the finger-piece 35 to a greater or less extent.-

By reason of the adjustment device 47, it is possible to so set the needlevalv'e in the first instance thatpigment will commence to discharge immediately upon commencing the delivery of air.. Under ordinary circumportion in position for engagement by the fore-linger of a hand grasping the body portion, said finger-piece lying substantially parallel to the body portion, an operative connection from the linger-piece to the air valve, a bell crank lever pivoted to the body portion-and having one arm. adapted to'actuate the needle vvalve against its spring, and having another arm lying substantial y parallel to the/.nger-piece, and adapted for engagement by the linger-piece after a predetermined amount of lost motion in the movement of the finger-piece, and means for limiting the ba'ckWard -movement of the needle valve and its lever under the impulse of its spring, substantially as described.

2. In an air brush, the combination of a body portion having air and pigment discharge orifices in its end portion, an air -valve for controlling the deliveryfof air to l the' air orifice, a needle for controlling the delivery of 'pigment to the pigment orifice, springs normally closing sald valves independently, a nger-piece lying substantially parallel to the body portion and mounted for articulation only toward and from the axis of the body portion by the up and down movement of the fore-linger of a hand grasping the-body portion, suitable connections from said linger-piece to both vthe air valve and needle valve for successively actuatin them by such articulation against the impu ses of their springs to 'first open the air valve and then the needle valve, andmeans for limiting the closing movement of the needle valve under the impulse of its spring, substantially as described.

3. In an air brush, the combination of a .body portion having air and pigment orifices in its end portion, air and needle valves for said orices respectively independent springs for said valves tending to close them, a finger-piece'm'ounted on the body portion for articulation only toward and from the axis thereof by the direct movement of the` vfore-linger of a hand grasping the body portion, and connections from said ringer-piece to both the air valve and needle valve for successively opening them againstthe impulses of their sprmgs by a single direct movement of the finger-piece toward the axis y' of the body portion to irst open the air .valve and then the needle valve, substantially as described. 4. In anair brush, the' combination of a body portion having air and pigment orices in its end portion, independent valves for controlling the flow of air and pigment to said orifices respectively, independent springs tending to close said valves, a fingerpiece mounted for articulation only toward and from the axis of the body portion by the directl movement of a finger of the hand grasping the body portion toward and from the` axis thereof, and operative connections from said finger-piece to the air and pigment valves for operating them in sequence by vthe direct movement of said linger toward I and from the axis of the body portion, substantially as described;

5. In an air brush, the combination of a body portion suitably formedy for the delivery of air and pigment from its end portion, independent air and pigment valves for controllin the delivery of the air and pigment, in ependent springs for normally closing said valves,` a linger-piece on the body portion mounted for articulation only toward and from the axis of the body portion by a single'movement of a finger of the hand grasping thebody ortion, and oper- `ative connections from t e finger-piece to both of the valves for operating them in sequence by such articulation to successively open the air valve and then the needle valve, substantially as described.

CLAUS C. WLD. 

